Follow The Lead
by spiderlillie
Summary: Undercover operations have a way of going wrong but Kevin Atwater isn't prepared for Jay Halstead's solution to the problem: be the one to pull the trigger.


A random short bit about Kevin having to shoot Jay while undercover. I had someone ask awhile back about writing something with Kevin and Jay.

* * *

Their cover is blown. Not just a little hole but the whole thing. Blown to bits. Kevin Atwater and Jay Halstead had been undercover working a drug ring for the better part of a week and everything had been going along smoothly, too smoothly. Now, it's over and they are both going to die. Atwater steels himself for what's about to come. But then Jay starts talking, talking so quickly Atwater can't even keep up at first. He focuses when he realizes Halstead is now directing everything to him.

"But, like, man I swear I'm just a new cop. Like, they didn't prepare me for this. Mikey, don't kill me, I swear I wasn't going to turn you in. You were so cool man, like once I got to know you, I couldn't have turned on you. Don't kill me, please."

Atwater/Mikey is for sure about to kill him because he realizes what his partner is doing.

Saving the operation, taking the fall, keeping Kevin's Mikey Lee alias in tact, while trying to die like it's no big deal. All eyes are on the two of them though, the new guys in this set group. Atwater snaps into action just as Halstead starts talking again and slams a fist into Jay's face. He drops like he had hoped and rolls so his back is to everyone else. Clamoring up on his knees, Jay takes a breath. He gives Atwater a little wink. "I can't die like this. You can't shoot me. You can't kill me. I know you said you would but I swear, I'm a good guy. Don't shoot me."

Facing only Kevin, he isn't the least bit afraid. No fear in his eyes in fact Kevin is pretty sure he's smirking at him. Jay keeps babbling though about not shooting him and suddenly the new plan clicks into place, the only way to save face and Jay at this point is to be the one pulling the trigger. Jay wants Kevin to be the one to shoot him. Snatching Jay by the arm and collar he drags him to the door of the warehouse and towards the ditch. "Can't stand a snitch, man."

Their mark Vinny snickers in laughter as he follows them out. "I knew it couldn't be you man, I told Gator it had to be the little punky kid. Go on and wrap this up and we'll get out of here."

Atwater just laughs but the urge to throw up feels him. He slams Jay to his knees again with his back to them. "Sorry man, this has to happen." He watches as Jay blows out a deep breath and relaxes his shoulders. Three, two, one. He pumps two in Jay's left arm.

The trick is to hit the target, easy from this distance. The bigger problem is the aim, if he shakes he risks killing Jay by putting it too close to his heart or ending his career by shattering his shoulder. He isn't sure which would be worse for Jay. But he goes limp in the dirt. As planned. The first trickles of blood already appearing. There's once again the too easy feeling seeping in.

"Let's get out of here in case someone calls the cops." Atwater says shaking his head and heading back inside. With any luck Ruzek and Dawson are near enough that they heard the shots and will be this way quickly to check things out.

Vinny smiles. "Right behind you man, one last thing."

Kevin's blood freezes. Turning slowly he sees Vinny pull his gun and pump another round into Jay. The gunshot is paralyzing. Kevin isn't exactly sure where he was aiming but it hits somewhere in Jay's upper body too, hopefully near his own rounds, but his gut tells him it was the towards his head. He can't react. Too frozen from the tsunami of thoughts. New blood splatters in the dirt.

"Never could stand a rat." Vinny says turning and walking past him with a laugh. There's two options, blew his own cover and get killed to check on Jay or walk away, keep the task at hand going and hope for the best. He follows behind Vinny. Pleading silently that Jay Halstead not be dead.

\\\\\

It's three long days before the bust goes down. The raid goes nearly perfect, except for Vinny. They've even already gotten the head "Gator" in custody. But now it's just Kevin and Vinny alone, out in the same back lot he shot Jay in.

"I should have killed you then," Vinny toys with him. "Right after I shot your partner just for good measure. Mm, oh well one cop dead is just as good as two."

He wants to pull his gun then but he waits till Vinny draws first. Two to center mass. He steps off to the side to bring his breakfast back up and as the DEA task force mark up the scene around the body he sees Voight silently waiting across the way.

"I've got to see Jay." Kevin demands as Voight parks his SUV at the precinct.

Voight gets out causally. "I told you I was taking you to see him didn't I?"

Kevin huffs a sigh and gets out with the slam of the door. If they are stopping here, it's to break bad news. Anger and fear fill him. Jay is dead. There's no good news that's comes from in here for them. They are in and up the stairs before he's had time to collect himself, he's still following Voight but he's starting to think about heading to the lockers to compose himself. Their unit room is empty, all the lights dimmed except for in Voight's office. They are heading straight in there, only a few seconds till he has his life ruined for killing Jay accidentally.

\\\\\

"I swear to you, ten more minutes and we are going home." Will is arguing, still in his scrubs. He's leaned back on the couch with his eyes closed. Tired. Ready to settle Jay in bed and go to sleep himself. "And get your feet off the man's desk."

Jay rolls his eyes but obeys. "He said they'd be back in like forty minutes but what if there's traffic?"

"What if there's traffic when I try to get us home?" Will snips back.

"I'll drive." Jay tells him with a grin. High on painkillers and waiting not so patiently. He spins the chair around facing away from Will.

Will rolls his eyes. "No thanks. The city of Chicago and myself will feel safer if you do not drive, Mr Concussion."

Jay makes another turn till he's facing away from Will. "You should have been a cop as many rules as you try to enforce. I'm fine."

"That's it." Will says standing up. "Let's go, you can be fine at home, I'm tired, you can see him tomorrow."

Will turns to leave and comes face to face with Kevin Atwater.

"Will, I am so sorry about Jay." It comes out bluntly and awkwardly.

Will frowns. "Not nearly as sorry as I am."

There's a pause of hesitation. Just in time, Jay spins the desk chair around again to be facing them. "Kevin." He announces happily. "I told Will you would be here."

For a second, there's only silence. Interrupted by Voight clearing his throat. "Oh, yeah, sorry." Jay begins, wiping at what appears to be a boot print on a folder on Voight's desk.

Atwater doesn't ask questions just curves in between Will, the desk, and Voight to wrap his arms around Jay. He can feel the thick gauze packs that cover where his bullets hit, sees the neat row of stitches that hide smoothly against the side of his head. Jay sighs tired and content.

Tears sting his eyes and he holds onto Jay till he can feel himself relax. The tension and stress finally melting away, he can feel Jay's shoulders relaxing he finally pulls back a little to look him over, Jay starts talking. "I wasn't sure if you could tell he missed me. Scared Adam and Toni for real, I was out cold when they got to me. It's gave me a headache since then but I'm fine. I told Will you'd be worried, but I'm fine."

"What about where I hit you? You good?"

Jay nods. "Yeah, low calibers went through my upper arm clean. Choi cleaned me up good but Will kept me around there a couple of days till the case was closed and to let it heal up some."

"And because he had a concussion... from you know getting shot in the head." Will adds in, Jay sighs loudly. They go quietly back to bickering back and forth.

Kevin takes the second to spare Voight a confused and annoyed glance.

"I told you I was taking you to see him, kid gets released from the hospital and comes to camp out here all afternoon till we brought you back in." Voight offers, picking up the folder off his desk and shaking it. Definitely a boot print.

\\\\\

They settle Jay into the front passenger seat of Voight's SUV for the drive home. It didn't take much to convince either of the Halstead brothers to accept a ride home. Will slips in behind him, leaning over the seat to help Jay get his seat belt on.

As Voight and Kevin walk around to the other side, Voight stops him. "You did good on this one."

"Didn't feel good. I had to shoot my own partner, my friend and not know if he was dead or not for days." Kevin answers in a flush, the weight of it finally coming off as he tells his Sargent. "It just doesn't feel good."

Voight gives him a nod. "You did what you have to do to get keep things going and you both got out alive. It's the job, you helped take down an organization that was running kilos to the streets. It won't hit the news so you gotta be proud of that on your own. Either way from where I'm standing it was a good day. You did good."

He drops it at that and pulls the side back door open before opening his own driver door. Will is still fussing with Jay about his seatbelt and what a pain in the ass he's been with Jay assuring him it hasn't been fun for him either. Kevin slides in the backseat and Jay turns and gives him a small smile. Everything is good.

* * *

 **End.**

Thank you all for reading!


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